The current ESU catalog provides the following description of Introduction to Mass Media: "This course is a survey of the defining characteristics and histories of each of the media in mass communication. The focal point in each media is the relationship of media to society." We will be studying a variety of media commonly thought of as "mass" (such as radio, television, film, newspapers, magazines, etc.) as well as those brought by new media (such as the internet, DVD, CDROM, etc.) and those not normally thought of as mass media (such as speech and language). Students will be given the opportunity to pursue topics that are of interest to them in these areas and special attention will be paid to television, the internet, and mass media audiences. The course is not necessarily concerned with studying the technical aspects of mass media (such as how a radio or television actually works) but with the roles these media play in shaping and expressing communication, culture, and consciousness. Introduction to Mass Media counts as GE1 Fine Arts general education credit or as credit toward the BA in Communication Studies.
The format of the class will be primarily discussion. Students have a special responsibility to the success of Introduction to Mass Media and are required to keep up with weekly readings, respond to discussion questions provided by the instructor, and respond to each other's comments regularly and with some thoughtfulness. Discussion expectations and assignment policies are reviewed in the evaluation section of these web pages.
Three books are required for the course and are available in the ESU book store. They include Being Digital, Silicon Snake Oil, and The Unreality Industry. You may also be asked to choose a nonfiction book (that is not a textbook and that you are not reading for another class) and read it for a presentation to the class. Choose a book that interests you and is related to the topic of the course, read it carefully, and be prepared to discuss it with the class.
Due to the use of the internet in creating this class, you will also be expected to actively participate in and make use of electronic mail and the World Wide Web. Some television viewing and news reading may also be required.
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